Jobs That Are Hiring Now

Online help wanted ads are rising fast in these 5 hot careers.

If online help wanted ads are any indication, the economic outlook is brightening.

Looking at Monster's Employment Index that tracks online job demand, Investopedia singled out occupations that are hiring at the fastest rate over the past 13 months.

The results are good news for job seekers with the right training.

There was a 29 percent surge in online help wanted ads for the legal industry, and a 20 percent jump in job postings for health care. And it doesn't stop there...

Read on for info on the five careers in which employers are most aggressively looking to hire, along with the training and college degree each job typically requires.

Legal Careers - Up 29 percent

Online job listings are up 29 percent in the legal arena from July 2009 to August 2010, according to Investopedia's breakdown of Monster's Employment Index. The legal industry includes everyone from paralegals to court reporters and attorneys.

Fast Fact: A quick search on Monster shows that paralegal listings outnumber lawyers. The U.S. Department of Labor forecasts a 28 percent bump in paralegal job openings from 2008-2018.

Legal Degrees:
Paralegal
Court Reporting
Legal Office Administration
Legal Studies

Average Salaries:
Paralegals: $46,120
Court Reporters: $49,710
Lawyers: $110,590

Business and Financial Careers - Up 28 percent

Monster's Employment Index shows a 28 percent spike in help wanted ads in business and finance, good for second place overall on Investopedia's list from July 2009 to August 2010.

Fast Fact: Accounting services organizations led all employers in extending job offers to the class of 2010, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). While accounting remains a popular major, many accountants have related degrees in business and finance.

Business and Financial Degrees:
Accounting
Business Administration
Finance
MBA

Average Salaries:
Loan Officers: $54,700
Accountants: $59,430
Financial Managers: $99,330

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media Careers - Up 25 percent

The 25 percent uptick in online help wanted ads for arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers is a refreshing sign for our still fragile economy. Investopedia singled out graphic and web design as areas that could see increased hiring in the months to come.

Fast Fact: A surge in social networking sites is creating a new need for savvy PR professionals who are able to control and get a client's message out. According to the Department of Labor, opportunities for PR specialists are expected to grow 24 percent through 2018.

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media Degrees:
Graphic Design
Marketing and Communications
Public Relations
Web Design

Average Salaries:
Web Designer: $40,000
Graphic Designers: $42,400
PR Specialists: $51,280
 
Architecture and Engineering Careers - Up 23 percent

It's hard to imagine a breakdown of hot careers that doesn't include engineers in some shape or form. This list is no exception. According to Investopedia's breakdown of Monster's Employment Index, online job listings have risen 23 percent for architecture and engineering careers.

Fast Fact: Salaries for flash engineers, who work with Adobe's popular software, have risen from $50,000 to $150,000 over the past three years, according to the Wall Street Journal. Flash engineers typically require both an artistic and computer-science background.

Architecture and Engineering Degrees:
Computer Science
Engineering
Technical Trade

Average Salaries:
Architects: $70,320
Mechanical Engineers: $74,920
Computer and Information Scientists: $97,970

Health Care Support Careers - Up 20 percent

Monster's Employment Index shows that online job postings in health care support are up 20 percent over the past 13 months. That's no surprise since home and personal health aides are the third and fourth fastest growing occupations through 2018, according to the most recent figures from the Department of Labor.

Fast Fact: A quick search of Monster shows 557 job postings for medical assistants. The Department of Labor sees a 34 percent jump in medical assisting opportunities from 2008-2018.

Health Care Support Degrees:
Medical Assistant
Nursing Certification
Surgical Technologist

Average Salaries:
Home Health Aides: $21,440
Medical Assistants: $28,300
Registered Nurses: $62,450


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*Unless otherwise noted, all salary data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor using 2008 median income, except web designer, which comes from Payscale.com.

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